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Dong Dong! ‘Law & Order: SVU' Catering Prompts Bomb Scare at Manhattan Courthouse

The "suspicious" coffee pot was left in a red milk crate, wrapped in plastic wrap not far from the Manhattan state Supreme Civil Court building

What to Know

  • A "suspicious package" that turned out to be a catering coffee urn prompted a brief scare outside a Manhattan courthouse Thursday
  • Someone called cops to report they had seen a possible bomb had been planted, but cops quickly figured out it was a rogue coffee pot
  • It turns out the pot had been used by caterers for "Law & Order: SVU," which films at the courthouse; the all clear was given in 20 minutes

A coffee urn left near a Manhattan courthouse by caterers for the TV show "Law & Order: SVU" caused a brief scare after it was mistaken for a suspicious package, prompting the NYPD to briefly shut down the vicinity. 

The urn was left in a red milk crate, wrapped in plastic wrap not far from the Manhattan state Supreme Civil Court building made famous by the long-running NBC show, which airs on Wednesdays. Scenes were being filmed on the courthouse steps Thursday morning. 

The shoot had wrapped up for the morning, but cops say the caterers had too much to carry and left the urn. While they were gone, someone called police to say a possible bomb was planted near the courthouse. The bomb squad responded, and the NYPD turned to Twitter to tell people to avoid the area. 

"The #NYPD is currently investigating a suspicious package at worth street and centre street," @NYPD5Pct tweeted just before noon. " Traffic are currently closed in the vicinity of #NYS #SupremeCourt #SEESOMETHINGSAYSOMETHING." 

Police determined it was safe within 20 minutes, and a follow-up tweet from the Fifth Precinct said, "The package has been properly identified and the owner retrieved her belonging!" 

The area was then reopened to traffic.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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